HD can not be reactivated by Disk Management

I'd appreciate any help on this matter.
History:
I had 4 HDs connected through the IDE Controller card.
No Raid was set up - just 4 additional HDs.
They were all dynamic disks.
I had to move this drives to USB interface.
On each drive I reconfigured drive letter and disk setup so it would not
remember the rest of drives.
Now, when I plug each HD in USB, I have to reactivate them in Disk Manager.
It works... except one HD.
The USB interface recognizes this drive, the drive is checked by Lifeguard
Diagnostics as healthy, the drive is in Disk Manager as Dynamic offline.
Windows explorer does not list that drive.
Now, question:
When I try to reactivate this one drive I get an error:
INTERNAL Error - The disk group contains no valid configuration copies
(C10000B6).
As I understand, something happened to LDM on that disk.
I know, the disk itself is good, the data is there...
And I know it is possible to restore that information... only with Microsoft
help or help of the professional or enthusiast who knows this subject.

Please, help me with this issue.

Thanks.
PS. My system is Windows XP Pro SP2

philo

07-10-2005, 12:49 AM

"Dimson" <Dimson@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:00E4DFE5-890F-4DB0-8A0D-066742F72992@microsoft.com...
> I'd appreciate any help on this matter.
> History:
> I had 4 HDs connected through the IDE Controller card.
> No Raid was set up - just 4 additional HDs.
> They were all dynamic disks.
> I had to move this drives to USB interface.
> On each drive I reconfigured drive letter and disk setup so it would not
> remember the rest of drives.
> Now, when I plug each HD in USB, I have to reactivate them in Disk
> Manager.
> It works... except one HD.
> The USB interface recognizes this drive, the drive is checked by Lifeguard
> Diagnostics as healthy, the drive is in Disk Manager as Dynamic offline.
> Windows explorer does not list that drive.
> Now, question:
> When I try to reactivate this one drive I get an error:
> INTERNAL Error - The disk group contains no valid configuration copies
> (C10000B6).
> As I understand, something happened to LDM on that disk.
> I know, the disk itself is good, the data is there...
> And I know it is possible to restore that information... only with
> Microsoft
> help or help of the professional or enthusiast who knows this subject.
>

at this point, if you try anything else, you could loose your data.
best to put the drive back on the ide channel and do a backup

Dimson

07-10-2005, 12:49 AM

Thanks for the advice,
but it's not activated on IDE either.. unfortunately...
I tried it on different computers; I put it back on my IDE controller card -
no luck.
BIOS recognizes the disk, Windows - does not.
On IDE it does not give me option to reactivate, but to import disk.
Tried it also. It gives me an error.

"philo" wrote:
>
> at this point, if you try anything else, you could loose your data.
> best to put the drive back on the ide channel and do a backup
>
>
>

Richard Urban

07-10-2005, 12:49 AM

I would imagine that if you were to speak (phone) with the manufacturer they
may be able to help you. The more you do with the drive the less chance you
will retain the file information.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard :-)

If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

"Dimson" <Dimson@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:00E4DFE5-890F-4DB0-8A0D-066742F72992@microsoft.com...
> I'd appreciate any help on this matter.
> History:
> I had 4 HDs connected through the IDE Controller card.
> No Raid was set up - just 4 additional HDs.
> They were all dynamic disks.
> I had to move this drives to USB interface.
> On each drive I reconfigured drive letter and disk setup so it would not
> remember the rest of drives.
> Now, when I plug each HD in USB, I have to reactivate them in Disk
> Manager.
> It works... except one HD.
> The USB interface recognizes this drive, the drive is checked by Lifeguard
> Diagnostics as healthy, the drive is in Disk Manager as Dynamic offline.
> Windows explorer does not list that drive.
> Now, question:
> When I try to reactivate this one drive I get an error:
> INTERNAL Error - The disk group contains no valid configuration copies
> (C10000B6).
> As I understand, something happened to LDM on that disk.
> I know, the disk itself is good, the data is there...
> And I know it is possible to restore that information... only with
> Microsoft
> help or help of the professional or enthusiast who knows this subject.
>
> Please, help me with this issue.
>
> Thanks.
> PS. My system is Windows XP Pro SP2
>

Dimson

07-10-2005, 12:49 AM

I did call WD and was sent to Microsoft as it's the issue with the Windows
Dynamic disks. The drive itself is workong and tests by DataLifeguard as
healthy.

"Richard Urban" wrote:

> I would imagine that if you were to speak (phone) with the manufacturer they
> may be able to help you. The more you do with the drive the less chance you
> will retain the file information.
>
> --
> Regards,
>
> Richard Urban
>
> aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard :-)
>
> If you knew as much as you think you know,
> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>

Richard Urban

07-10-2005, 12:49 AM

As per http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=254105, dynamic disks are NOT
supported on the Universal Serial Bus (USB) bus!

Looks like you're screwed!

--
Regards,

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard :-)

If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

"Dimson" <Dimson@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:00E4DFE5-890F-4DB0-8A0D-066742F72992@microsoft.com...
> I'd appreciate any help on this matter.
> History:
> I had 4 HDs connected through the IDE Controller card.
> No Raid was set up - just 4 additional HDs.
> They were all dynamic disks.
> I had to move this drives to USB interface.
> On each drive I reconfigured drive letter and disk setup so it would not
> remember the rest of drives.
> Now, when I plug each HD in USB, I have to reactivate them in Disk
> Manager.
> It works... except one HD.
> The USB interface recognizes this drive, the drive is checked by Lifeguard
> Diagnostics as healthy, the drive is in Disk Manager as Dynamic offline.
> Windows explorer does not list that drive.
> Now, question:
> When I try to reactivate this one drive I get an error:
> INTERNAL Error - The disk group contains no valid configuration copies
> (C10000B6).
> As I understand, something happened to LDM on that disk.
> I know, the disk itself is good, the data is there...
> And I know it is possible to restore that information... only with
> Microsoft
> help or help of the professional or enthusiast who knows this subject.
>
> Please, help me with this issue.
>
> Thanks.
> PS. My system is Windows XP Pro SP2
>

Leif Nordmand Andersen

07-10-2005, 12:49 AM

Hi Richard:

>As per http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=254105, dynamic disks are NOT
>supported on the Universal Serial Bus (USB) bus!
>
>Looks like you're screwed!

I think he has another problem.

I've read the above link (quite awhile ago). I've had an array of
dynamic disks 250+250+160 GB's as one drive Z: in my computer. Due to
heat I had to install them in USB boxes. I just took them out from the
IDE interface inside the computer and put them into the USB boxes.

Now they WON'T automount, but have to be mounted manually, However
this was no problem to do - and my computer is always on, so I didn't
have to do it often. I've since got a better case, with better cooling
and reinstalled the drives inside the cabinet on the ide device -
again the switch was no problem!

The poster said something about:

On each drive I reconfigured drive letter and disk setup so it would
not remember the rest of drives.

I'm not sure why he did this. I just took them out of the ide
interface and then straight into the usb boxes. I wonder if this has
something to do with it.

Regards Leif.

Dimson

07-10-2005, 12:49 AM

Thanks for your input guys.

Somehow, drives were not activating when I connected all 4 of them through
USB.
Only one of them was, and the others where missing and I was not able to
reactivate them. I was able to reactivate any of them, but only one!
So, I decided to do them one by one. I did something wrong to one of them
and you know the rest of the story.
Going deeper, I found DISKPART utility in Windows. This program can do
damage to HDs, so I used it only for the information.
I'd appreciate help with this program.
The information tells me that this disk has a partition, but no volume.
I'd like to post this information and for your opinion on possibility of
recovering data.

So it's type 42 (?) hidden and not active....
Any way to activate it without loosing the data?

Thanks.

"Leif Nordmand Andersen" wrote:

> Hi Richard:
>
> >As per http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=254105, dynamic disks are NOT
> >supported on the Universal Serial Bus (USB) bus!
> >
> >Looks like you're screwed!
>
> I think he has another problem.
>
> I've read the above link (quite awhile ago). I've had an array of
> dynamic disks 250+250+160 GB's as one drive Z: in my computer. Due to
> heat I had to install them in USB boxes. I just took them out from the
> IDE interface inside the computer and put them into the USB boxes.
>
> Now they WON'T automount, but have to be mounted manually, However
> this was no problem to do - and my computer is always on, so I didn't
> have to do it often. I've since got a better case, with better cooling
> and reinstalled the drives inside the cabinet on the ide device -
> again the switch was no problem!
>
> The poster said something about:
>
> On each drive I reconfigured drive letter and disk setup so it would
> not remember the rest of drives.
>
> I'm not sure why he did this. I just took them out of the ide
> interface and then straight into the usb boxes. I wonder if this has
> something to do with it.
>
> Regards Leif.
>

Sure it does. I, for one, killfiled him. I killfile people who don't
quote when they reply too, and a few other things that annoy me.

--
A cheap shot is a terrible thing to waste.

Leif Nordmand Andersen

07-10-2005, 12:50 AM

Hi Richard,

>Partition 1
>Type : 42
>Hidden: Yes
>Active: No
>There is no volume associated with this partition.
>
>So it's type 42 (?) hidden and not active....
>Any way to activate it without loosing the data?

Well I have a copy of Partition Magic, it can hide/unhide

this link:
http://www.partition-manager.com/overview_details/partition_tool.htm
gives some good information about hidding and unhidding

I hope for you, that this is the solution to your problem.

Regards Leif.

Dimson

07-10-2005, 12:50 AM

Thank you all for participating,
espesially Rich Barry (from a different thread)
who sent me to anandtech forum, where I found this article:
http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1139
and "magic" program TestDisk:
http://www.cgsecurity.org/index.html?testdisk.html
Spent some time to figure out what to do... AND!!!
3 clicks - everything is back!!!
MORE!
I converted my disks (4*120Gig - they where in PCI IDE controller)
from Dynamic to Basic in 3 clicks each without loosing the data
or rewriting it to a different disk and back.

Leif Nordmand Andersen

07-10-2005, 12:50 AM

Hi Dimson

>Thank you all for participating,
>espesially Rich Barry (from a different thread)
>who sent me to anandtech forum, where I found this article:
>http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1139
>and "magic" program TestDisk:
>http://www.cgsecurity.org/index.html?testdisk.html
>Spent some time to figure out what to do... AND!!!
>3 clicks - everything is back!!!
>MORE!
>I converted my disks (4*120Gig - they where in PCI IDE controller)
>from Dynamic to Basic in 3 clicks each without loosing the data
>or rewriting it to a different disk and back.

Could you posibly tell me how you converted dynamic to basic without
loosing any data?

Thank you - regards Leif.

Dimson

07-10-2005, 12:50 AM

Sure.
This is what I did.
1. Downloaded the program testdisk-5.8-WIP (latest beta version from link
above).
2. Connected the drive via USB (!).
3. Run testdisk_win.exe
Disk was as number 4 in the disk list.
3.1 Chose it. Analyze/Enter
It showed up 1 partition.
3.2 Quit/Enter
It started to analyze cylinders (takes some time).
3.3 Showed - Structure: OK Use arrow keys to change partition
characteristics.
I did not choose anything.
3.4 Enter to continue
3.5 Wright/Enter
3.6 Y/Enter
3.7 Quit/Enter
4. Disconnected the drive trough safely remove hardware.
5. Connected it back - MAGIC.
It showed up in the explorer and disk management as Basic disk, Healthy
(active)...
with all my data. Everything works.
6. Changed the drive letter.
Now I don't have to reactivate it, it shows up right after plugging it in a
USB port.
Can unplug it at any time (without safely...)

Note. In step 3.3 message Structure: OK is important.

Hope, it works for you.
Regards.
Dimson

> Could you posibly tell me how you converted dynamic to basic without
> loosing any data?
>
> Thank you - regards Leif.
>
>

This was a SINGLE dynamic disk, which was NOT part of an array. Is
that correct?

Regards Leif.

Dimson

07-10-2005, 12:50 AM

Leif, if you read my first post, it explains how disks were set up,
in array first - no raid though. I performed "the procedure" on all 4 disks.
They where all converted to Basic with no problem.
I think, the procedure will work on any single disk.
Again, I think, the program writes new information about found partition "to
the MBR's Partition Table" (taken from the documentation page of the program
homepage)...
And as the drive is connected through USB it makes it Basic.
What I can recommend is on the step 3.3, where it shows that structure is
OK, use command 'P' to list files. I did. It showed all the files on my
drive.
After that, I think, on command Wright it "Writes the changes that have been
made in TestDisk's memory buffer to the hard drive" (taken from the
documentation page of the program homepage).
If you don't click Wright command and confirm it - the program will not
change anything on the disk.

I'd like to say, that I'm not an expert in this program.
This was the fist time I used it.
This program is freeware, and as I understand, the authors of this program
are taking e-mails, and help people.
Another thought, that this kind of freeware programs is well kept secret, as
Data Recovery became huge business.

Good luck.
Regards.
Dimson.

"Leif Nordmand Andersen" wrote:

> Hi Dimson,
>
> On Tue, 17 May 2005 23:11:04 -0700, Dimson
> <Dimson@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> >Sure.
> >This is what I did.
>
> Thank you very much for the detailed explanation
>
> Just to verify.
>
> This was a SINGLE dynamic disk, which was NOT part of an array. Is
> that correct?
>
> Regards Leif.
>